If Things Would Have Been Different
by oddfurball
Summary: The story of Arrow told from a new perspective as Oliver Queen returns from the island and meets a certain blonde who occupies his mind because her name sounds familiar. Oliver sets out on a mission to cross the names off the list along with trying to find how Felicity is connected to him. Many scenarios are changed, so read and enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

Oliver felt the cold of the blade against his cheek as the man behind him methodically worked to trim down his shabby and overgrown beard into neat stubble. Oliver felt a pang as his beard was being shredded. Five years on the island had changed him in more ways than possible and the beard was a symbol of the change in him. But right then, he knew he had to look presentable enough before going home. Starling's Bad Boy was back and Oliver knew that the reporters will want every detail of his missing years so Oliver was not surprised when he saw the biggest horde of cameras as his private jet landed. Oliver hadn't noticed that his palms were sweaty as he rubbed them against his fine pleated pants and stepped out. The flashes of hundred or more cameras blinded him for a moment but he composed himself and put on his 'I-survived-an-island-while-smiling-like-an-idiot' smile. The reporters would have smothered him if he wasn't in the ring of protection of a ring of bodyguards who guided him to the car while the crowd around him shouted his name and begged him to answer their questions.

Five years had been lost by Oliver and Starling City was not what he remembered. As the car whizzed through the streets, Oliver recalled every detail he could remember before his stint on the island about the buildings whizzing past but those memories were of a different man. The playboy Oliver Queen was back but with a secret, as dark as the malice he felt in his heart towards the people who had destroyed his city and left its people at their mercy.

Oliver had learnt to control his emotions, to conceal them and to not feel on the island but as his home came into view, he felt the need to loosen the tie around his neck and bring the windows down to let the breeze splash across his face. Oliver tried his best not to look nervous as he walked the steps of the front porch but before he could knock, the door was opened by a familiar face which looked aged but more beautiful, like the browning pages of a book. Oliver hugged Rasia and breathed in the smell of chocolate with a hint of cinnamon as she led him to the foyer where his mother stood, just as he remembered her, but as he got closer he could see the fine lines etched around her eyes and the crinkles on her forehead as she came in closer and landed a kiss on his cheek.

"Oliver, I can't believe it."

Oliver simply let himself enjoy his mother's embrace for a moment longer than necessary and when he looked up, he saw a petite girl with brown eyes descending the stairs with an unknown expression on her face. Oliver knew his sister would have been taller and more beautiful than he last saw her but he hadn't imagined his Thea to be command authority around her. Oliver watched as Thea walked up to him and looked into his eyes searching for her brother.

"Is it you, Ollie?"

Oliver could tell that Thea sensed his hesitation and awkwardness that's why she simply hugged him, enclosing her petite arms around his middle and welcomed him back. Oliver felt his pent up tension dissipate as he hugged her back. He might have come back as a different man but he was home.

* * *

Felicity looked at the watch in her office. Oh crap! It was 8 already. She was running major late. She hit the power off button on her laptop, put on her overcoat and started her journey towards the parking lot. Her entire company, correction, the company she worked for, Queen Consolidated had been turned upside down because its rightful heir was back for his throne. Felicity had been well versed with the tabloids and their love for the in-famous Oliver Queen which existed even after he was stranded on an island for five years. It had only been two weeks since he was back and the gossip column was abuzz with news of his crazy party ways. Felicity always thought that five years on deserted island can change an individual; she had watched the movie Cast Away, but apparently those rules didn't apply to billionaires. As Felicity made her way to the precinct, her head was abuzz with scenarios about how she will never forget to carry her tablet everywhere she goes from next time. If she gets stranded on an island, at least she will die with technology; her first love.

The precinct was more crowded than she last remembered and it took her a while to find the person she was looking for. She waited on the sides as her uncle chatted away to his fellow officers, looking weary and sleep deprived. Felicity had always been the life of the precinct, with her colourful clothes and brightly painted nails. Her uncle always told her that he loved it when she visited him so Felicity made it a point to come as often as possible. She caught some of the younger officers looking at her but they their eyes scurried in a different direction as her uncle approached her.

Quentin Lance was one of the bravest men Felicity ever knew and as he planted a kiss on her forehead and led her to the break room for a quiet dinner, Felicity knew that she couldn't have been more proud of him. She took out the sandwiches she had packed along the way from Quentin's favourite place and sat down opposite to him chomping down on her sandwich like a hungry bear.

"Woah, slow down there, munchkin. You are going to choke on your sandwich."

"I was hungry like a pig. I couldn't grab a lunch because of my stupid boss."

"I swear, one of these days I am going to march in there and have a little talk with that douchebag about office rules."

Felicity couldn't help but laugh imagining state her boss might be in if her uncle ever makes a visit.

"I am serious, Lis. They are making you work too hard. I know that you have two mouths to feed but I don't want you to overdo it. Besides, I like these dinners. I wouldn't want anyone to come in between them."

"Don't worry, Uncle. I can handle it. So, how is Laurel?"

"I spoke to her over the phone. She is fine; though it would be even better if she could visit her poor father once in a while."

"Give it some time. After Sarah, all of you have been through a lot, especially Laurel. She will come around."

"When did you grow so big, munchkin? I look at you sometimes and I see the little girl with her big glasses and awkward talk who used to follow her brother. It all looks so surreal now."

Felicity dabbed her hands with the napkin and sat next to her uncle. His face had weathered with time but his eyes were the same. She took his hand in hers and paced a kiss on his cheek.

"We all have to grow up some day. But no matter how much I grow up, I will always love you."

She saw the love in his eyes before he said that he loved her.

"I love you too. Now let me get back to work."

Felicity didn't let go of her hold on her uncle's hand.

"Uncle Quentin, tell me the story again."

"Lis, you have listened to it a million times."

"I know but I just feel like listening to it again. Please?"

Felicity made her best impersonation of a wounded animal and couldn't help but give a small smile as her uncle sighed and began to narrate the story.

"It was a day just like this, calm and peaceful. I had recently been recruited into the violent crime division as a Detective but the crime rate in the city was down so my job was not as interesting as I had initially thought it would be. I was wading though some old cases when a sixteen year old boy walked into the precinct with a wailing baby in his hands and asks to see a Detective. Since I was the rookie, they directed this boy to me. This punk walks up to me with confidence and tells me that he needs to work for the police department. Would you believe his nerves?"

Felicity chuckled as she imagined the look on her uncle's face.

"I thought to myself that the kid was a goner. So I told him to sit down but he kept on insisting that he needed a job, a job to feed the baby with him. At that time, I really thought that the punk was a kidnapper so I handcuffed him to the chair and tried to take the baby away from him but he wouldn't let the baby go. So I asked him his story. He gave me his name and stopped talking, like I was supposed to know who he was. So I did a background check on him while the kid soothed the baby. He was so good with the baby that I would have given him my badge when he stopped its screams. And that's how I first met your elder brother, John Smoak. That sixteen year old lost his parents to a brutal murder so he decided not to live in a foster home and instead kill himself but he couldn't because of you, Lis. He found you in one of the dumpsters near the lake and brought you home. He used to sit in the precinct everyday with you in his hands and beg me give him a job."

Felicity put her head on her uncle's shoulder and she could hear him struggle with his voice.

"I slowly grew fond of him and you, so your brother started from the lowest ranks after studying hard for a year. I still remember the day I asked him to be my partner, he was hardly 22 but he accepted me in a heartbeat. Even until his final breath, he couldn't stop talking about what a blessing you were to him. Your brother, Lis, was one of the bravest I had ever seen so don't forget that. His legacy should live on in Roy and you, always. John Smoak was my best friend, my partner and my son. Always remember that, Lis and guide Roy. Don't let him forget his father."

Felicity felt the tears trickle down her nose and wet her uncle's shirt but she didn't let go. She held onto him till she could. They were finally interrupted by one of his colleagues.

"Detective Lance, Mr. Queen wants to see you."

"Tell him to wait in the interrogation room, I am coming."

Felicity gathered her things as her uncle wiped her tears away and with her brother's memories in her mind and a smile on her face she left the precinct.

* * *

So here it is, folks. From the maker and writer of the okay successful Light at the End of the Tunnel comes this Origin Story. Read, enjoy and review because as you know, reviews are what makes it better chapter by chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**:

Oliver Queen walked into the Precinct dreading his meeting with the man to whom he owed a thousand apologies but it would never have been enough. He was the reason his beautiful daughter now rested at the bottom of the ocean with an empty grave marking her memory. As Oliver walked past the break room in the Precinct, a glimpse of sunshine hair caught his eye. He saw wavy hair neatly tied in a ponytail resting her head on the shoulder of Detective Lance. Oliver could not see make out the features on her face but judging by her posture, Oliver could say that she was crying. Right then, John Diggle, his bodyguard walked up to him.

"Mr. Queen, you are allowed to go home now. The cops are not pressing any charges but next time, do yourself a favour and don't drink and ride a bike, while the cops tail you."

"Mr. Diggle, you are released of your duties for the day."

"No, I am not, Mr. Queen. You are drunk and it's my responsibility to take you home."

"Digg, can I call you Digg? Of course, I can. Look, I am sober. I will take a taxi but right now, I need to meet a man who might even end up shooting me because I deserve it. Go home."

Oliver watched as Digg gave him a concerned look but left without further prodding him, for which he was thankful. A female cop walked up to him and asked him to wait in the interrogation room for Detective Lance. As Oliver talked to her, the girl who was crying on the shoulder of Detective Lance passed by him and Oliver felt a wave of familiarity pass through him. But before he could register a name to her face, she was gone.

"Excuse me, Officer. But who is that woman?"

"Ah, that's Felicity. She is Detective Lance's niece."

"It's okay; Officer. I will take it from here."

All of Oliver's thoughts were pushed aside when he saw Detective Lance walking up to him, stoic and serious.

"Heard you were back but I guess even five years away from the ones you love can't take the stink of richness off, seeing you gallivanting around."

"Sir, is there somewhere we can talk?"

"That's Detective Lance for you. The interrogation room is awaiting your arrival, Mr. Queen."

Oliver followed Detective Lance towards the interrogation room. He sat down as Detective Lance closed the door to the room.

"Do you want to speak first, or should I?"

Oliver could see the hardness on the face of the older man. He was struggling to keep a façade, a mask which projected he was alright but Oliver could see that he was a broken man. The prepared speech which Oliver had repeated a thousand times was now lost in the deep crevices of his brain and that's how only one sentence came out of his mouth.

"Detective Lance, I am sorry."

"Well, if you are, then bring back my daughter. We could not even say a goodbye to her. How dare you prance back into this city and pretend like nothing happened? You destroyed my family. If you are sorry, then bring her back. Then I can think about forgiving you."

Oliver's speech function was frozen. He could not say a word except repeat his apology.

"You listen well, Oliver Queen. I need you to stay away from my daughter. She has been through enough and it has taken her a long time to be where she is today. So you stay away. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand."

Detective Lance left Oliver, banging the door behind him. Oliver had carried the picture of Laurel for five years but Detective Lance had been right. He did not deserve to touch the girl in the picture. Oliver left the precinct, thinking back to the girl with glasses in the Precinct and a wave of familiarity washed over him. Felicity; that was her name. He had a feeling that her name would become important.

* * *

Felicity looked at her watch and cursed. It was past 9 and she was still a few minutes away. She was sure Roy would be hungry by now, not to mention launch himself into a mini lecture on safety for girls especially in the Glades. Felicity lived in the part of the Glades where finding a vandalised car was more common than a cat. She quickly grabbed the sandwich she had packed earlier from the back seat and rushed to the apartment. When she entered, she was met by a fuming Roy.

"I am so sorry. I know you must be hungry, isn't it? There was traffic on the way back here from the precinct but look I picked out a sandwich from your favourite place. Did you pack your clothes yet? And everything else? We need to move by this weekend so don't leave everything to the end, okay? I guess I have packed some of the plates so how about you eat the sandwich and I will go do girl stuff, you know the ones which they do before they go to sleep. Speaking of that, my feet seem to be hurting."

Felicity finally took a breath and saw a huffy Roy walk up to her and bend down at her feet. He gestured for her to move her foot as he removed the heels that she wore and set them aside. He grabbed the sandwich and sat down at the couch, taking a big bite of the sandwich.

"Wait, hold on."

Felicity walked up in front of him.

"Where is the 'Felicity-you-are-my-aunt-but-I-have-to-act-like-the-adult-around-here-lecture?" I was so ready for it."

"Don't wear those shoes to work next time, especially with your boss making you work overtime."

"Roy, hey, I know it's been hard for you especially since you have to change school in the middle of the year but we should be glad that we are finally getting out of this horrible place. No more fist fights, no more carrying a baseball bat each time you leave in the night, none of that."

Felicity sat down next to his nephew on the couch.

"How was the first day of school? Do you want to talk about it?

"There was nothing to talk about. The kids were jerks as soon as they found out I was from the Glades. I am already nicknamed as the Charity-Case."

"Hey, if you don't want to school there, I am sure we can get you into one of the public schools. These rich kids can be such a snob."

"No, I worked hard to get into that school. You worked really hard to get the money. I am doing this."

"That's my boy. Now go wash up and get to bed. I have an early shift tomorrow. I will leave you on the way to school."

Felicity was taken aback as Roy placed his hand over hers and gave them a light squeeze.

"Hey, after dad and with mom out of the picture, you are the only one I have? You know that, right?"

"Roy, we are the only ones we have."

"But I don't want you to work so hard to give me a better life. I want you to take it easy and do what you have been missing out on. I can take care of myself from now."

"Well, look who is all grown up. But guess what, kiddo? I am still your aunt and I made a promise to your Dad. And besides, I have tons of fun. You just don't know it. Besides, where else are you going to find such a cool 25 year old aunt? Nowhere, I tell you."

"You are not going to be 25 forever."

"Hey, a girl can dream. Now get to bed. We have a tiring weekend coming up."

* * *

Oliver Queen knocked an arrow into his bow and checked the weight of it. The polymer cable concealed in it needed a trigger without making the Arrow any heavier. As Oliver worked on a better design, he was disturbed by a buzzing of his phone. Tommy.

"Hello."

"Hey, best friend back from the dead! Want to grab a drink or something?"

"Tommy, its 1 in the afternoon. Don't you think it's early, even for you?"

"Oliver, come on, man. I need you. It hurts me to not see your handsome face every day. I need my daily dose of pretty, not say I am any less."

Oliver could not help but give a slight smile to his friend's tactics.

"Fine, pick me up in an hour."

"Okay, lover."

"Tommy, I thought you wanted to grab a drink. Why are we driving towards QC?"

"I spilled a latte on my laptop. I needed it to be repaired."

"Tommy, you do realize that you dad owns a company which specializes in computers, don't you?"

"Ya, but my company doesn't have the view."

"You mean a certain female?"

"I am going to answer that with no comment. Now stay here, I will be back in a jiffy."

Oliver looked at his office building, one he still had to visit, and saw a certain blonde with spectacles in the rear view mirror of the car. Oliver was sure that it was the same girl. He was even more shocked to see Tommy walk up to her. He returned after a few minutes with a laptop in his hand.

"Who was that?"

"Oh, you liked what you saw? But sorry man, I can't set her up with you. She is not the 'one-night-stand' type."

"Ya, but who is she?"

"Oh, that's Felicity. Felicity Smoak. She is a genius, my man. She can fix anything, even latte spilled laptops."

"So, you two are going out?"

"What? Me and Felicity? No, hell no, Oliver. As I told you, she is not the 'break-her-heart' kind of girl. She is sort of like my best friend, you know."

Oliver watched as Tommy adjusted his seatbelt before speeding into the traffic. Felicity Smoak, name definitely rang a bell.

"So, how do you know this Felicity?"

"She is Laurel's cousin sister. Well, not really a cousin, cousin. They are not blood or anything. Felicity's big brother was Detective Lance's partner but he got killed on the job. Detective Lance blamed himself for it and he has been taking good care of her and her nephew ever since then. So she is like family."

_Family. _And that's when it struck Oliver where he had heard her name.

* * *

I am going to leave it hanging. Now, where do you think Oliver would have heard her name? Remember, he only feels her name is familiar. Not her face. Well, we have to wait and see. Please do review! These stories take time to finish and patience so if it's good, review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"Hello, am I speaking to a Miss Smoak?"

"This is she."

"Miss Smoak, I am speaking from the principal's office of Starling's School for The Elite. You are listed as the guardian of Mr. Roy S Harper. You are his aunt, am I right?"

"Yup, one and only. I am sorry, but I thought all the paperwork for his transfer was filed two weeks ago. I don't believe anything was missing."

"Miss Smoak, I am not calling regarding the paperwork. The principle would like a word with you regarding your nephew. How soon can you get here?"

Felicity let out a long sigh. She had a nagging feeling that she was going to get a call of such nature after Roy joined school but she had never thought that the call will come within the first week of school reopening.

"I can be there in half an hour. What kind of trouble did he cause?"

"I think that it's best if you come down here and talk."

Felicity quickly gathered her coat and looked at the massive watch hanging at the wall opposite to her cubicle. The clock had just chimed 12:30 and she was sure that her boss will kill her if she leaves. This only meant one thing, she would have to cut down on her lunch time, in fact, have no lunch. She quickly ran up to her car in the parking lot and drove to the school.

She parked in the driveway and looked around at the teenagers in uniform, some relaxing, others chatting and remembered her high school and shuddered. Let's just say, she would never want to go back to high school again. She found Roy in front of the Principal's office scowling at the ground.

"If you scowl any longer, you are going to dig a hole in the ground."

Felicity knew that Roy's scowl just got deeper upon hearing her voice and he gave a grunt without moving his gaze away from the ground. Felicity sat in the chair beside him.

"You are going to tell me why am I being called to the Principal's office in the first week of school?"

Felicity waited patiently for Roy to answer. It took him a whole minute to curb his anger and loosen his jaw. He finally looked at her, anger dissipating in seconds and gave her a slight smile.

"I got into a food fight in the canteen."

"What? Roy, you know how important this school is for you. You can't cause trouble here; I thought I made that clear."

Felicity saw her nephew flinch at her words. She knew that Roy wanted to be invisible in this school without drawing much attention and that's why she asked him the reason of the fight without letting anger creep into her words. But their conversation was disturbed by the office worker who called them inside.

Felicity followed Roy into the principal's office and was surprised to see that they weren't the only occupants. A petite girl covered in sauce and a man were already sitting on the chairs facing the principal and so Felicity dragged Roy to the chairs at the corner of the desk and seated herself down.

"Miss Smoak, I presume?"

"Yes."

"Now since all are here, let us begin."

Felicity looked at the pudgy Principal as she explained how Roy threw food at the girl sitting at the far end and started a full-fledged food fight in the canteen. Felicity looked at the man sitting beside her, handsome and tall. He sat there with a straight back intently listening without making any movements.

"Miss Smoak, such behaviour calls for punishment. And given the previous record of Roy, I am having my doubts."

"I am sure Roy is extremely sorry for his behaviour. You can punish him in whichever way you like, whatever seems feasible to you. But in all honesty, food fights happen so many times. It's all part of a healthy process of growing up, not that I encourage such behaviour, I absolutely don't. I am just saying that you shouldn't make such a big deal, wait, that's wrong-what I am trying to say is that, don't expel him."

Felicity pursed her lips and tried to hide her face in embarrassment. Now was totally not the time for her rambles. But to her surprise, the man next to her had a soft smile playing his features making him look extremely breath-taking and familiar. It was him who broke the awkward silence that followed her ramble.

"It's absolutely fine, Mrs Hudson. There is no need to exact severe punishment. I am sure both of them are sorry for their behaviour, aren't you, Thea?"

Felicity looked at the petite girl who was scowling making her look like a goblin. She muttered something which sounded along the lines of an apology. Felicity then looked at Roy who looked angrier than ever.

"Roy, apologize."

Felicity heard Roy say a sorry through clenched teeth and gave him a small pat on his shoulder to let him know he did the right thing. She looked at Mrs Hudson who seemed to be displeased at these turn of events.

"If there is nothing else, we shall take our leave. Thea, let's go."

"There is a matter for discussion. I shall give fitting punishment for this behaviour but before that I would like to hear about the assault charges on Roy, Miss Smoak? I did not get a chance to ask you before."

Felicity could feel the air still in the small room with all eyes on her bearing shocked expressions. Before she could answer, Roy stood from his chair and faced Mrs Hudson with an angry glare.

"You know what? I have had enough. Go ahead and expel me, if you like. I really don't care."

"Roy, sit -."

"No, I am not going to calm down, Lis. We don't deserve to be treated like filth, especially you."

Before Felicity could even utter a single word, she heard a loud banging marking Roy's exit. She looked at her spectators but quickly went back to address Mrs. Hudson; correction; pudgy and now bitchy Mrs. Hudson. Felicity was surprised that her voice didn't quiver with a cold demeanour falling over her face.

"Mrs. Hudson, I apologize for his behaviour. As for his assault charges, he was trying to protect me. After my brother passed away, we have tried very hard to survive. And this is his chance to a better future. I hope you understand that."

Felicity took her leave but could feel the eyes of Oliver Queen on her back. Oliver Queen, she knew he looked familiar; famed playboy who had a miraculous return and also the man who was in the same boat as Sara. Felicity hoped that Oliver never ran into her Uncle Lance because he might end up with bruised ribs. Felicity made her way out to the hallway and saw Roy standing at the end of the hallway talking to Laurel. She quickly marched up to them.

"Thank you so much for coming, Laurel. I would have given him a ride but as you know my boss would kill me if I go missing for more than two hours."

"Lis, we are like a family, remember? So what did you do now, Roy? Why do you keep troubling your Aunt?"

Felicity saw Roy scowl and quickly gestured Laurel to not talk about it now and that she will tell her later. Laurel understood and let the matter go. They were about to leave when Felicity heard Laurel's name being called out by the voice she still could not forget and turned around to see Oliver Queen running up to them with his sister standing at the other end of the hallway.

* * *

Oliver knew the back of the woman who had held his heart for five years now in a second. He thought of not approaching her but decided otherwise and that's why, five minutes later, he found himself facing Laurel, a tad bit secluded from the faces which were with her a few minutes ago.

"It's good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same, Ollie."

"Laurel, I know I don't deserve forgiveness but at least give me a chance to apologise."

"If you want that chance, then my sister should be standing here instead of you."

Oliver had rehearsed this scenario in his mind and played it multiple times but none had prepared him for the bitter truth. Facing Laurel was hurtful but he knew that he needed to let her go as he was moving on. He took out his wallet and carefully took the picture he had held on to for five years and placed it on her palm.

"Those..those five years that I was away, I held on to this picture of yours. I thought that if I ever got a chance to see you again, I will right all my wrongs. But I realised, that I never had that chance. I am sorry for Sara. I hope you find the day you can forgive me, not for me, but for you. I won't ask to hold on to you anymore."

Oliver turned towards the hallway and walked towards his sister. He could feel the stares in his wake but he did not look back. And to his surprise, his heart did not ache. There was only a slight throb which seemed to fade as Oliver looked on ahead.

_Three years ago, Starling City_:

_Oliver had taken only a peek, just as he had promised. He knew now that his family and friends were safe and a part of them did not ache for him. They were slowly moving on. As he walked into the warehouse where he would meet Maseo, he heard loud voices emanating from the other end. He slowly walked up to the origin of the argument and could distinctly make out that one of the voices were female. He hid behind the nearest pillar providing him access to the individuals involved in the spat and was surprised to find Maseo arguing with Amanda Waller. That had never happened hence Oliver found himself intrigued._

"_Mr. Maseo, I am telling you, not asking. Here are the files so gather all the information you can."_

"_And I am telling you that I won't put her life in danger."_

"_Mr. Maseo, I don't think that I have to remind you of our deal. You do as I say otherwise your family becomes a liability which I can dispose of quickly. Do not be under the impression that I won't do it. Her name is Felicity Smoak and just because she has a ruptured past doesn't make her your family so do not think about protecting her."_

_Oliver saw Maseo's face darken through the corners of his eyes. Amanda left without another word, her heels clicking on the floor. Maseo uttered some words which clearly sounded offensive in Chinese and stalked off in ager. Oliver came out of hiding and walked up to the pile of files lying on the table. He opened the first one and saw a girl with long black hair and piercing blue eyes staring at him. The tag in her photo spelled Felicity Smoak. MIT Class of 2009._

* * *

Thank you for the likes, favorites and reviews everyone. I feel reassured knowing that my story does not suck much!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Thea Queen averted her eyes from the boy cleaning the bleachers as he caught her staring. She dared another peek at him after a minute as he worked silently with the mop dancing to the beats of the music emanating from his headphones. She gave a slight smile as a slightly bulky hand landed at her waist.

"What are you smiling at, babe?"

Thea looked at the handsome man trying to close in on her with a cocky grin on his face. She slowly squirmed away from his touch.

"Chase, how many times have I told you that I don't like being called babe?"

"Thea, come on. You are my girlfriend. Stop behaving like such a snob."

Thea rolled her eyes but preferred to not argue further as she knew Chase's intelligence level were way below average. As Chase continued to talk to his team mates, Thea turned her attention back to the bleachers where Roy was swaying slightly to the music with the mop in his hand. She removed her boyfriend's hand which was placed firmly at her waist and slowly walked up to him with a smile which was turning infectious. She lightly tapped on Roy's shoulders and saw him scowl as he noticed her. He removed his headphones and scowled deeper seeing Thea smile.

"What do you want?"

"Oh, Mr. Grumpy-Pants. A hey would have been nice."

"Well, you and I aren't exactly friends or even acquaintances. So get lost, I have a lot to do, thanks to someone."

Thea stopped Roy midway from wearing his headphones. Her sudden approach had Roy surprised as he withdrew his hand immediately.

"Okay, truce. I am sorry about the food fight earlier. My stupid boyfriend can be such a snob sometimes, but he doesn't mean it. I hope you didn't get punished severely."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Ya, what else do you want me to say? Just make sure your boyfriend over there doesn't call me a Charity Case again otherwise next time it will not be a food fight."

"I will definitely tell him that. Roy, right? Nice to meet you, I am Thea Queen."

"I know who you are; the whole school knows who you are."

"Well, popularity is my middle name. But you might be the first guy who has thrown sauce on me."

"Let's just say I don't have time to notice anyone. I should really be getting back to cleaning."

"At least you didn't say I am not your type."

Thea winked at a bewildered Roy as she started walking towards Chase. As she turned to look at Roy, she was surprised to find him engrossed in mopping the floors, his rhythmic movements to music not missing a beat. Her presence had no effect on Roy and that's when Thea realised that she might be interested to know who Roy Harper really was.

* * *

Oliver entered the 11th level in Queen Consolidated and walked up to the office of the Manager of The IT Department. His knock was quickly answered by a come in and Oliver soon found himself facing a young man with wide rimmed glasses concentrating on the computer screen. Oliver cleared his throat but the man never averted his gaze from the screen. Instead he extended his hand with open palms facing upwards.

"What have you got, Adam?"

"Mr. Palmer, My name is Oliver Queen."

The young man looked at him with unfocussed eyes and quickly adjusted his glasses as recognition dawned on him. He stood up at incredible speed and quickly adjusted his shirt and glasses before extending his hand. Oliver took his hand and was surprised to find he had a strong hold.

"Mr. Queen, what can I do for you? I have to be honest; it isn't every day that we resurrected from- the- dead- heirs here."

Oliver watched as Ray awkwardly laughed at the joke he presumed he cracked. Seeing Oliver's stoic expression, he immediately stopped.

"I am sure you did not come down here to listen to me babble. What can I do for you?"

"Mr. Palmer, I needed the files-"

"Please, call me Ray."

"Ray, I need the employment records of a certain employee known as Felicity Smoak. I asked in the HR department and they directed me here. I believe you have them."

Oliver could see that his request had Ray nervous as he wiped his sweat with a tissue.

"Mr. Queen, we have some confidentiality terms. Handing you an employee's record seems a bit…why do you need them? I thought all promotions or employment termination should go through me."

"Let's just say I want to keep an eye out for the talented people who work for me. I am planning something interesting and I am sure I will need your help on it too."

Oliver could see that his words were having their impact on Ray. He hesitated for a few more minutes before retrieving a set of files from the cabinets.

"Here you go. Let me just say, Felicity is one of our brightest but you might want to think twice about her. She has a lot of extra baggage, so to say."

"I will keep that in mind, Mr Palmer."

Oliver gave Ray a slight smile before exiting his cabin and deciding on the way to the Foundry that there was definitely something off about Ray Palmer.

Oliver switched on the mains illuminating the dummies he used in training. He walked up to the table and placed the files on them before sitting down on the chair. He opened the files to see the picture of Felicity smiling back at him with blonde hair instead of black and a striking set of blue eyes which has captivated him three years ago.

"Let's see, Miss Smoak. Who exactly are you and why are you so important?"

Oliver skimmed through her employment records and her degree from MIT. He could make out from his grades that Felicity had been smart in studying since forever which allowed her to skip some grades finishing high school by 16. She joined college when she was 17 but had to drop a year before graduating in 2009. Her only living relative was her brother, John Smoak, who died in a fire in early 09. Since then, she has been taking care of her nephew and lived in the Glades before moving uptown recently. After skimming through her files, Oliver tried using the internet to gather more information on the fire which killed Felicity's brother. It took him a century to remember the basics which Thea had taught him and after some pain-staking efforts, he finally got some results.

He found several newspaper articles about the fire which killed John Smoak while he was on duty. But as Oliver looked closer, the date of the fire caused a pang of familiarity to go through him. He racked his memory to recall why 15th January, 2009 was important and that's when he remembered a memory buried deep within.

_Three years ago, Starling City:_

_Oliver was still looking at the picture of Felicity Smoak when Maseo walked in, fuming and charged. Oliver heard the man stop in his tracks as he realised that Oliver was looking through his files. He quickly walked up to the table and closed the files before taking them away._

"_Maseo, what is this?"_

"_None of your business."_

"_Maseo, please don't tell me you are going to kill a 21 year old girl?"_

"_Oliver, stay out of this."_

_That answer had Oliver fuming as he raised his voice by an octave._

"_What the hell is going on?"_

_His louder voice caused Maseo to raise his voice._

"_And this is the last time, stay out of this."_

_Oliver fumed as Maseo walked away cursing even louder in Chinese. The following morning, Oliver stood before the door to Maseo's room to demand an explanation but Maseo was nowhere to be found. Oliver got restless and tried his hardest to stay in the room trying to do something constructive. He passed the whole day stalking Thea, Laurel and Tommy. Oliver came back around 7 with dinner hoping that Maseo was back. It wasn't until 10 that Maseo came back, sooty and slightly charred. Oliver took him to his room and could see that his friend had nearly escaped being burned._

"_What the hell, Maseo? What's all of this?"_

_Maseo held onto Oliver's collar as he spoke between coughing fits trying to release the entrapped smoke._

"_Don't tell anyone, Oli…Oliver."_

_Oliver watched Maseo collapsed in his bed, tired and deranged. Oliver removed his slightly charred clothes and allowed him to sleep. Oliver had a hard time falling asleep as Maseo snored lightly beside him so he switched on the TV to watch the late night news. The news anchor was explaining about a fire which erupted in one of the many charity funds organised by Starling's Elite but thankfully, there were no casualties reported. The date at the bottom of the screen read 15__th__ January, 2009. Oliver gave one last look at Maseo and wondered about his burns. _

Oliver looked at the photo of John Smoak, a blue eyed middle aged man with jet black hair to boast. He quickly killed the screen and tried to process the information he could. He had promised himself that he would not probe further in Felicity Smoak's matter but now, he felt that his curiosities got the best of him. He needed more information on Felicity but without the right resources to gather them, he shall soon hit a roadblock.

Oliver retrieved the diary and decided that he should concentrate on the work he had initially set out to do. As he donned the green hood and retrieved the bow and quiver, his mind reeled with thoughts of Felicity and the connection established between them three years ago.

* * *

Felicity quickly ran to answer the door, a tub of mint chip ice-cream in one hand and the TV remote in the other. She called out to Roy to get ready soon and opened the door to welcome Tommy.

"Tommy, where is Laurel?"

Her best friend did not respond. Instead, he started his usual inspection of her apartment, looking into every nook and corner in case a giant lizard popped out. Felicity had seen him do the routine a hundred times but each time, it brought a smile to her face.

"Tommy, it's okay. We are a lot safer here. You don't have to inspect the doors and windows now, like the way you did it in the Glades."

Felicity watched as Tommy gave a final look behind the TV and turned around to face her, his eyes fixated on Felicity.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

Felicity watched as Tommy walked a few steps towards her and held onto her shoulders.

"Do you know how important you are to us? If Roy wouldn't have held his ground that day, they would have scavenged on you like hunters. So, let me do this, I will sleep easier at night. Although I will sleep much better if you just accept one of the many apartments I can buy for you."

Felicity shook her head as the bright smile which always dominated Tommy's face returned. She offered him the mint chip ice cream and sat down beside him on the couch as they waited for Roy.

"So, how are things between Laurel and you?"

"It's complicated, again."

"Tommy, tell her. Both of you have been chasing around for far too long. She deserves to know how you feel about her."

Felicity watched as Tommy dug a few spoons out of her ice cream clearly indicating an end to their conversation. She poured her attention back to the TV as Roy walked into the living room, dressed casually for a night out.

"Where is Aunt Laurel?"

Tommy stood up from the couch and gave his best smile to Roy.

"She is busy, so it's just me and you, bud."

"Great, I knew this week was going to be crappy."

Tommy laughed at Roy's supposed joke. Roy and he drove to the bowling arcade in complete silence after which Tommy parked the car and joined Roy at the entrance.

"You ready for some butt kicking? I might just kick your ass this week."

"You wish."

Tommy always enjoyed their Friday nights together. As he picked up his bowling shoes, he looked at Roy who was standing with a bowling ball in his hand, ready to strike. They went for a few rounds with Tommy losing, as usual, after which they decided to take a break. They bought some fries and sat down at the nearest table.

"So what happened to Aunt Laurel? You fought with her again, didn't you? She told me that she wasn't working on Friday."

"It's complicated, buddy."

"What's so complicated? You love her, she loves you. I thought that was supposed to be simple."

"I wish it was. Speaking of fights, I heard you started one in school."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Fair enough. Do you want me to talk to that old hag and reduce some of your punishment? I was pretty likeable in the good old days."

"Thanks, but no thanks."

"Roy, I know it's been a hard couple of years for you but you have me, you know that right? The ever handsome and charming, Uncle Tommy."

"Oh, shut up."

Tommy put his tongue out causing Roy to roll his eyes. Tommy concentrated on his fries as he thought back to the day Felicity and Roy became a part of his life.

_Three years ago,_

_Tommy looked around trying his best to not let his boredom show. His father had dragged him to one of his various charity events and as the future owner of Merlyn Global, Tommy tried his best to small talk his way through the party. He spotted his father having a conversation with Mr and Mrs Queen and a dull pain reared in his chest thinking of his best friend, Oliver Queen. After an hour of boredom, Tommy decided to escape the party when Laurel called him up to catch up over a late night dinner. As he made his way towards the exit, the fire alarms blared causing everyone to panic and rush for the door where Tommy was standing. He was swept away with the crowd and before he knew it, he was outside with the spectators as a massive fire broke out on the floor below the charity event. The firemen and police had just arrived and stopped him from going back inside for his father. _

_He panicked and looked around at the crowd scanning their faces to find his father, but none resembled Malcom Merlyn. He could see the fire spreading towards the above floor and his level of panic rose. He spotted Laurel's father among the policeman and begged Detective Lance to rescue his father. Another young detective, Detective Lance's partner, promised him that his father would come back and Tommy left them alone as they strategized to help the Fire Unit to rescue the people trapped inside._

_Tommy lost track of time as the fire was being tamed by the Firemen without any sign of his father coming out of the building. After what seemed like ages to Tommy, a few firemen came out with his father and Oliver's mother along with his step-father in tow. The fire blazed and the structure of the lower floors collapsed. Tommy ran up to check on his dad who was being dragged to the hospital and breathed a sigh of relief. His father assured him that he was okay and Tommy decided to follow the ambulance in his car. He decided to drop in a word of thanks to Detective Lance and his partner before leaving. He found him near the building trying to control a young girl with jet black hair and an even younger boy as they cried holding on to him. Tommy left that day and as he drove to the hospital, the radio bellowed about the death of John Smoak, A Starling City Detective._

_Tommy attended the funeral where a coffin without a body was buried. His father and the Queens had given their condolences and thanked John Smoak's family for saving their lives. Tommy watched as, Roy, a mere fourteen year old, accepted a medal of honour from Tommy's father. After the ceremony, Tommy gathered the courage to speak to John Smoak's family but was immediately shut out. He knew that his family blamed the rich of Starling for John's death so Tommy left that day._

_It took him an entire month to finally gather the courage to speak to Felicity and Roy. He offered a job to Felicity in his father's company but she refused. Tommy apologised for what had happened and Felicity understood but her family needed time to accept that the fire was just a mere tragedy and no one's fault. Tommy looked over them as they were forced to shift to the Glades because of their financial situation, as Felicity started her job at Queen Consolidate and as Roy struggled in the Glades. And slowly, Tommy was accepted into their world as a loving friend and uncle._

Tommy looked at Roy as he munched down on fries. Three years ago, Tommy was a mere billionaire and a playboy, but now, he had an extended family in Felicity and Roy.

* * *

Felicity heard a slight knock at the door and looked at the time. It was 11. She carefully approached the door with the TV remote wielded as weapon in her hand and looked through the peep hole. Laurel stood outside and Felicity breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door.

"Laurel, it's 11."

"I know. Guess who is spending the night here then. Where is Roy? And were you going to defend yourself with a TV remote?"

Felicity lowered her hand still wielding the remote as a bat and gave Laurel a 'It's-because-you-surprised-me' look.

"Roy went to bed early. He is supposed to teach at the Disability School early tomorrow as part of his punishment."

"Ah, foodfight punishment. I will give this to him later then."

"Are those the latest games he has been dying to buy?"

"Yup."

"Laurel, you are spoiling him."

"Well, I have every right to."

Felicity rolled her eyes and walked towards the couch and plopped down. Laurel sat next to her after retrieving two cans of beer from the fridge and offering one to Felicity.

"Thanks. So, I heard Tommy and you fought again. What is it this time?."

"I have no idea. Tommy caught me at a bad time and I ended up screaming at him and voila, he is acting all grumpy now. To top it all off, I had to work late today which pissed him off more."

"Are you it's not because of You-Know-Who?"

"Are we referring to Oliver in terms of Voldemort now?"

"Sort of suits him, don't you think."

"No, it's not because of him."

"Laurel."

Felicity slighted tilted her head and gave her best impersonation of 'I-know-you-so-don't-lie' causing Laurel to speak the truth.

"Okay, fine. It's true that his resurrection act has got me thinking but it's not what you think. After I came to know about Sara's death, I hated both of them for a long time but keeping that up was impossible. I cried, I got mad and slowly I moved on. Seeing him again that day reminded me of what we could have been. But, to tell you the truth, Lis, I was relieved when he walked away. It felt as if I could finally move on without any strings left behind, without any guilt."

"So, you are ready to move on?"

Felicity looked at Laurel as a small smile spread across her face.

"I am. I am ready to move on, Lis."

"With Tommy?"

Laurel nodded her head and Felicity felt herself break into a wide smile imagining Laurel and Tommy as a family.

"Well, I for one, totally approve. My two best friends together. I am so in."

"You sound like we are going to get married."

"Are you? You do know that I will be your maid of honour, right?"

"Lis, you are like a sister to me. You have every right to be the maid of honour, if and when we get married. Speaking of marriage, Dawson is getting married. He has invited all of us so no skipping out, okay?"

"Uncle Lance's partner? Isn't this like his third marriage?"

"And hopefully his last, but enough about me. Did that cute guy you met on the train call you back? What was his name, Larry?"

"It's Barry and no he didn't. I guess it was the no filtered embarrassing talk which ticked him off. I need to stich my mouth or something, Laurel."

"Lis, believe me when I tell you this, any guy will be lucky to have you."

"Oh really, and how are you so sure?"

"Because you are amazing. You have been there for Roy ever since his mother left when he was one. You graduated from freaking MIT on a scholarship, you work in a kick-ass company, you moved out of the Glades and you got Roy into the best school in Starling. Not to mention, you were the reason Dad and me finally moved on with our lives after Sara. Do you want me to go on?"

"I had help along the way."

"Oh please, we asked you to move in with us when you lost the house. But you were so stubborn to do everything on your own. Lis, I had said this then and I will say it now, you and Roy will never be a burden to us. We are family."

"And that's why I could do what I did that time. I had thought of running away from everything but I knew I could not leave Roy or you guys."

"Okay, enough of this. What were you watching? No way, Doctor Who? Without me?"

Felicity laughed as Laurel pouted and cribbed about Felicity forgetting her. These were the moments which made everything a little bit easier in her life and gave her the strength to fight on.

* * *

Oliver could feel the bullet embedded in his bicep. He drove towards the foundry as fast as his arm would allow and tried his best to stay conscious. He reached the Foundry but collapsed on the stairs due to the heavy loss of blood. He took his cell phone and pressed the call button against the name of John Diggle, but before he could even utter a word, his eyes went black and he collapsed, the voice of John saying a hello on the phone ringing in his ears.

* * *

This chapter establishes the bond which so many of the characters have formed. I hope you guys like it. Thank you for the likes and reviews.


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